Brazil is about to begin its largest ever impact survey of a government program based on comparative evaluation. The survey will use cutting edge methodologies that have been used only by Mexico in all of Latin America.
Because of the dimensions of the survey, it will be supported by the World Bank, the University of Wisconsin and the Brazilian government statistical bureau (IBGE).
The survey is being promoted by Brazil’s Ministry of Social Development and Hunger Combat (MDS) and will be conducted by the Federal University of Minas Gerais’ Center for Regional Development and Planning (Cedeplar/UFMG).
The survey quality was recently tested by Brazilian and foreign institutions at an international seminar on evaluating public policies.
The government’s Bolsa Família (Family Grant) program will be examined in 226 municipalities. A total of some 15,000 program beneficiaries will be interviewed over a two-year period.
Bolsa Família is one of the Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva administration’s biggest social programs. In June the program reached 7 million families in 5,541 municipalities, distributing funds totalling US$ 191 million (450 million reais).
The program has a broad objective: to change people’s lives. It focuses on nutrition, youth education and maternal and infant health.
ABr – www.radiobras.gov.br
